Implementation Plan and Solutions to the Challenges Faced by Medical Faculty During COVID-19 Pandemic: Transition to the New Normal

Abstract

Objective: To assess faculty perception regarding the transition from traditional to online classrooms and highlight the problems and devise possible solutions for these problems.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Two Public and five Private Sector Medical Institutes in the month of September 2020.

Methodology: An online questionnaire comprising three sections, including consent, personal information and questions related to the experience regarding online teaching, was designed. The questionnaire was posted online, and medical faculty of public and private sector medical universities in Karachi were invited to participate in the study. As a result, the MBBS, BDS, and DPT teaching faculty of two public sectors and three private sector medical colleges/universities who took the online classes participated in the study.

Result: 41.2% response rate was recorded. 42 (61.8%) participants felt training given by their institutes was satisfactory. 67 (98.5%) of participants felt that a user-friendly system was employed for online teaching. 61 (89.7%) participants changed teaching strategy, although 49 (72.1%) were unprepared. 67 (98.5%) participants felt student feedback was essential, and 86.8% felt the interaction was vital. 66 (97.1%) participants said clinical teaching was compromised. Student behavioural issues were identified by 22 (32.3%) of faculty members. Problems with technology was faced by 33 (48.5%) participants.

Conclusion: Online teaching and learning is expected to continue in the new normal post-COVID-19 era. The transition was difficult, but faculty training programs promise improvement to continue this strategy in future.